#starry-eyed-wild-child

[strang3lov3]

right, listen... the time has come. rory culkin fics when?? 👀

Rory Culkin gets the same treatment as Kyle Gallner where I endlessly fucking thirst over him but have yet to watch any of his movies. Other than Strange Darling and Jennifer’s Body, I guess. SO. YOU, MY DEAR, HAVE A FUCKIN JOB. Tell me, what do I watch? What characters do I write??

[taintandviolent]

not anonymous BUT angst is your thing, sorry I don't make the rules 🤭

is it!? I'm so glad, lol. I feel like I haven't written a ton of it yet but I'm so glad that it comes off that way!!! weweeeeeeee

[fear-is-truth]

you’re starring in a movie with the last person saved in your camera roll and the last song you listened to is the title…who/what is it?

thank you so much for the tag @starry-eyed-wild-child @vi0l3tluvsu @strawb3rrystar love y’all !!

no pressure tags: @lisboncy @chaimilkshake @loveofcherry @lostreverb @taintandviolent @gingerteafairy @ticifics @merrydoe @r0rysreid + anyone who wants to join !!

[fictionadventurer]

Why did no one tell me about Cats Don't Dance? I had to hear it mentioned in an off-hand line in a Youtube video as an example of a good movie that flopped because it was screwed over by the studio, then I had to seek it out for myself, and only then find out:

It was the first non-Disney movie to win the Annie Award for Best Picture (it beat out Hercules).

It's an animated tribute to 1930s movie musicals done in the 1990s, which gives it a very Animaniacs vibe.

It has an insanely energetic and stretchy animation style.

It gives us the story of a starry-eyed song-and-dance man (who happens to be a talking cat) who leaves small-town Indiana hoping to make it big in Hollywood, only to find that talking animals don't get any starring roles. And then of course he meets a motley crew of eccentric animal actors who've had to content themselves with stereotyped bit parts and inspire them to try for better.

It has a romance where the cynical girl who had her dreams crushed gets inspired by the innocent, wide-eyed idealist to chase after hope again. (Which happens to be one of my special favorite kind of romances).

It's directed by a guy who'd go on to direct The Emperor's New Groove.

It's got songs by Randy Newman.

Scott Bakula voices the lead (and has a surprisingly decent singing voice).

Don Knotts plays a superstitious turtle.

There is a piano-playing elephant voiced by John Rhys-Davies.

The actress who voiced Cruella de Ville came out of retirement to voice a chain-smoking elderly fish (who might be my favorite side character).

Gene Kelly did the choreography (and it was the last project he worked on before his death).

The villain is an utterly insane Shirley-Temple-type child star who gets some of the most over-the-top animation I've ever seen.

She has a giant monstrous butler--like, it is absurd how giant this guy is.

And there are wild setpieces and big musical numbers and a scene with a clever use of color to show inner emotions.

It's not like the greatest movie ever made or anything, but it's a solid B-tier story that's a lot of fun and happens to perfectly fit my taste in so many ways, so I'm upset no one bothered to alert me to its existence.

[catboymoments]

Man now I'm thinking about like. I imagine as an adult that Hunter straight up does not like to fight. He's had Enough of It. But I'm imagining the first time a situation comes up for whatever reason where Hunter does have to fight, and how he (and Hyacinth!) would react if Hyacinth got to see it. Especially if Hunter doesn't know Hyacinth's watching until after the fact. (Hunter: "Oh god my kid probably thinks I'm a monster." Hyacinth: "Dad... nobody told me you were Cool As Fuck?????")

YESYES THIS EXACTLY YOU GET IT!!!! Hyacinth has only known his dad as a weird but sweet guy who for all intents and purposes is the peak of Stay At Home Dad Who Has A Creative Job and makes his son lunches and blushes when his wife grabs him around the waist and dips him and giggles when she kisses him (hyacinth voice “gross”) and he has NEVER seen the version of his dad that’s a soldier. A child soldier who was a tool that didn’t feel. Hunter has never wanted Hyacinth to see that part of him. And he worries that if his kid ever saw him get violent or fight, he would think of him differently.

But one day a wild beast demon goes on a rampage within the city limits and Hunter locks in to help subdue it, and Hyacinth sees the whole thing. And when Hunter turns around all he sees is his son, starry eyed, and then he unceremoniously exclaims “DAD YOU’RE A FUCKING BADASS?!”

And he laughs, a weight being lifted off his shoulders, and tells his kid to watch his language.

[roryrealm]

I noticed you 😍👻

@starry-eyed-wild-child

[crimeronan]

hey kitkat, if its not too much trouble, could you make a propaganda post for the silt verses? I've been seeing you talk about it a lot (i have spoilers marked dw) but im afraid to look up anything about it. is it horror? all i know about it is val <- horrible woman(?) so im intrigued. was wondering if it'd be possible for a silt verses post a la that trc post you made a while back

OH, ABSOLUTELY. i think about 95% of my followers have no idea what this media is about, so this ask is very exciting. i'll preface it by saying that i think it's edged out the dreamer trilogy for my favorite story Ever -- it's exactly on par with the first two books in terms of Reading My Heart Off The Page.

the premise:

the silt verses is a now-complete horror-tragedy narrative podcast set in a fantasy world that has many parallels to our own. this fantasy world is embroiled in late-stage corporate capitalism and is ravaged by the effects of colonialism, war, and oppression.

in this world, gods are created through sacrifice and belief. there are thousands of them, with thousands of individual religions.

the problem is that gods must be fed through human sacrifice. and if they aren't fed, they die.

and people are very invested in keeping their gods alive.

sacrifice is considered a necessary part of society, something that's as essential as breathing. the idea of simply not making sacrifices is considered a violent, radical, leftist anarchist position that is simply unsustainable. or so the state would have you believe!

but. SOME gods have been outlawed, and worshiping them WILL get you killed by the government.

the state says that it's because these gods are uniquely evil, and too dangerous or sadistic or wild to be fed.

in actuality, gods are outlawed when they don't serve the state or corporations' purposes. the question at the heart of the worldbuilding is always, "is Anything you've been told about the gods and the magic true? how much of this world is socially constructed? who benefits from the way things are?"

Metaphors Abound.

-

the cast:

the first season follows four key narrators; the second season introduces a fifth; the third a sixth.

-

carpenter - sister carpenter is an older woman who was born into an outlawed river-worshiping faith. she has seen her entire family murdered by the state, including her brother, parents, and grandmother. she briefly left the faith but returned to the parish because she had nowhere else to go; her relationship with her river and her church is complicated at best.

carpenter begins the series as a """devout""" disciple of the river parish. in actuality, her faith has been slipping for a Long Time. she's no longer certain that she loves this god she's been killing for for her entire life.

she begins the series investigating some unexplained "miracles," aka Deeply Fucking Horrific Murders, that appear to have been done by her god.

alongside her is brother faulkner.

-

faulkner - faulkner is a kid, somewhere around 19 or 20 years old when the story starts. he was NOT born into the river faith, but was instead called to it, back when he was still a rural farm boy living with his father and brothers. his first sacrifice was his brother, who he drowned on the farm. he later left home to find the parish.

faulkner has been with the parish for a pretty short period of time, but he truly IS a devout fanatic. because of this, he does not get along with carpenter. the two of them bicker a lot. carpenter thinks that faulkner is a stupid country bumpkin who's naive and full of starry-eyed optimism, and he annoys the piss out of her.

faulkner is not a dumb country bumpkin.

but he knows how he sounds and he knows how he looks. so he plays the part of the starry-eyed child with ease.

he is planning to kill carpenter.

he knows she's slipping, he knows she's losing her faith, and he wants her dead. he's been asked to keep an eye on her because the parish knows she's slipping, too.

uh oh!

-

hayward - investigating officer hayward is a police officer in the religious homicides division of the greater glottage police force. this police force has jurisdiction over outlawed gods. hayward's job is to find outlawed gods, arrest/kill their worshipers, and report them to the government.

he is the main antagonist of season one. crucially, he's a Good Cop - he's friendly, affable, funny and likable. he's kind of a dickhead bastard, but in the way that the protagonists of Cop Tv Shows (TM) often are. he offers to "help" the people he's arresting. he's good at playing the role of a good guy who just needs to uphold the status quo for the good of society.

but. he is, first and foremost, a cop. and the narrative has a Lot to say about cops. and about other people whose job is to Enforce The Law.

so. don't think that him being a Good Cop means that he's Actually a good guy or that he's not dangerous to the protagonists. Hoo Boy.

-

paige - paige duplass is a corporate boardroom executive who works for a marketing firm that creates gods. her job is to do all the marketing and branding for new corporate mascots. what does the god look like? how does the worship work? how are the sacrifices made?

but her company's profits are waning. and they need to return value to the shareholders.

so. they're going to kill their employees.

not paige, of course! she's a highly valued member of the team. she just has to keep everyone calm and be a kind, upbeat manager while the Layoffs approach. everything is fine, everyone. we aren't going to kill you :) don't worry :) just keep smiling :)

the horror of this gives her a crisis of conscience; after all the murder goes down, she leaves to go on a long drive.

which becomes longer still when she's taken hostage by carpenter and faulkner.

-

shrue - season two introduces shrue, a spineless liberal politician who runs on a """left-wing""" platform but really could not care less about anything except polling numbers. they're willing to do rotten, ugly propagandist things for their campaign -- including killing the river god. and all of its followers. for the good PR! :)

not great news for carpenter, faulkner, or their people.

but then shrue experiences Actual Violence up close for the first time. and it Shakes Them To Their Core.

and, well. suddenly they're not so comfortable being a spineless liberal politician anymore.

too bad they've locked themselves into their role and cannot fucking escape it!!

-

val - introduced in season three, VAL is the saint of a god of liars, purposefully created by the government for use as a weapon. she is the remnants of a woman who killed herself to serve her country. she does not remember who she is or what else she wanted, aside from her mother's approval.

as the saint of a god of liars, whatever VAL says becomes true..... as long as someone is there to listen. you're a loyal soldier? no, you died of a tumor as a child. you're a politician begging for mercy for the sake of your infant child? no, your baby has an insatiable taste for flesh and ate your sorry ass. etc

she's a monster and a sadist; she enjoys killing people to try to fill the emptiness in her. she is in terrible pain all the time and does not understand why. and she is becoming increasingly disillusioned and sick with herself, the government she serves, and the Utter Pointlessness of all this systemic violence.

but how do you break a cycle when you Are the cycle?? how do you get better?? how do you change anything??

much to consider.

-

overall, it's as close to a perfect story as it gets imo. literally every detail is carefully, painstakingly chosen to further the themes, arcs, characterization, etc. the plotting is suspenseful, the horror is Deeply Fucking Scary, the storylines are gutwrenching, the voice acting is spine-chilling, and the characters are So Fucking Compelling.

also, i get frustrated by representation-first fiction recs, but if you get this far and want to know: it's Deeply queer. faulkner, paige, and shrue are all trans (shrue is they/them, paige is a post-transition trans woman, faulkner is a trans guy who's recently started T). carpenter is aroace, there's casual representation and normalization of trans n gay people throughout the ensemble cast.

and more importantly, it's just. So Damn Good.

@valtsv @deermouth you two are the other main silt verses bloggers i know, so if you want a pitch for your followers.... here is this!

[marchsfreakshow]

Blood and Organs, For You [James Patrick March]

Angst.

What a life. For a Repo man. Such anger and hatred he holds for the one he misses.

Dead reader. I practically ripped off Repo! The Genetic Opera for this fic, because I thought it would suit James.

I re-watched and re-listened to Repo! A lot for this but it's fine cause I love it.

No one's perspective

⊹˚.⋆ ₊꒷ᘏᘏ︶ଓ︶꒷꒦⊹˚ᗢ₊꒷︶ଓ︶꒷

What a living job, only to never be thanked.

Never have the correct payment for his work. Never for his face to be recognised. Never to be known. Never. Oh if only you could come back to him. If only he made the correct choice.

What a stupid man James was.

Picking his unborn child over you. A rash decision which haunted him for 17 years. She was a pretty girl, stuck in her room while her father did nothing but cut up bodies and repossess organs for those who couldn't pay their debts. She didn't know. She couldn't know. James wouldn't live with himself if she knew his true job. She rarely strayed from her bedroom window, watching seasons and stars flow by.

He couldn't bring himself to hate his daughter. He couldn't. In the moment he thought he made the correct choice. Leaving you for dead; his bride and the sweetest one by his side. Stupid man! James needed you now more than ever. He prayed to an unloving and uncaring god for you to be brought back to him, in any way possible. His daughter was only half you, barely even you. He blinked and she was smiling sweetly at him as a little girl, taking her medicine. He blinked and she was a 17-year-old wishing for freedom outside of her little bubble in her room.

His money was only ever worth so much when his real payment should've been going back to when you got sick. Going back to refusing to take that 'cure'. Oh, James was a fool. You were perfect. You were wonderful, you were his. His wonderful wife, and an ideal lady next to his side. Watching him do his job as a doctor. If only he had known. If only he had known the cure was poison from his friend. It was a harsh memory. A harsh thrust into the memories of your screams, and your cries. "Darling..." His voice was weak as he whispered out for no one. Right now, this repo man couldn't face his daughter. He couldn't call for anyone else.

Those holograms of your, gorgeous, beautiful face. Always around the house. So he could pray to your beauty every moment he could. Yet his daughter never felt the same. She resented you. Only slightly. You gave her this blood disease! You caused her to be isolated from the world! Your damn blood. Why'd James have to be so stupid? Why'd he have to pick incorrectly?

Oh right.

You were half dead anyway.

You were practically done for. But James told them all she died with you. He wanted so desperately to be a hero. That's all he wanted. To save you, make you and your child live.

He couldn't do this anymore.

But he had to. He had to continue. Faking a search for a cure.

It was all fruitless in the end. It was just proven worthless. He was baited by his work to find someone behind on their payments. Yet, the one behind the door was...his daughter. That wasn't right. It couldn't've been right. Oh god.

If only he had made the right choice...

⊹˚.⋆ ₊꒷ᘏᘏ︶ଓ︶꒷꒦⊹˚ᗢ₊꒷︶ଓ︶꒷

Tag: @babygorewhore @taintandviolent @oceanblvd111 / @nahoyasboyfriend @slutforgarlogan @briaroftheroses / @am3ricanh0rrorwh0re @evanpeterspeter @feefymo / @starry-eyed-wild-child @fear-is-truth

[rottenpumpkin13]

Hmmmm.... Sephiroth gets sent out on a LONG ass mission on a Tuesday by himself. (a segment of one of your asks)

The Wild Goose Chase Prank On Sephiroth

• Zack's most elaborate prank yet has Sephiroth as its victim. He has Kunsel hack into the mission roster's system and give Sephiroth a solo mission to the middle of nowhere in the western continent.

• It's summer, it's humid, and Sephiroth's assignment is to find an escaped creature from R&D labeled a "Triserpoco"

• Zack photoshopped an extra leg and a zolom head on a chocobo.

• Sephiroth takes the mission, seething with rage as he thinks about the poor creature having been subjected to Hojo's experimentation—it's the main reason Sephiroth doesn't question the mission. Knowing Hojo, a chocobo-zolom hybrid is something he would pull.

• He's flown out to a quiet little village near the coast, where the mission detailed that it had last been seen.

• The villagers are absolutely perplexed to see a Shinra helicopter touch down on their quaint village, and even more so when the Sephiroth appears. But nothing could've prepared the poor mayor for the "Triserpoco."

*Sephiroth holds up the clearly photoshopped picture*

Sephiroth: I'm looking for this creature.

Mayor:

Sephiroth: Don't laugh.

Mayor: I'm sorry.

Sephiroth: This is a serious matter. It's classified as a highly dangerous and invasive creature that could—sir please stop laughing, your village is in danger.

• After the mayor asks the other officials who confirm that there has never been a sighting of that creature in the village, Sephiroth takes matters into his own hands. He figures that since chocobos flock to grass lands and Zoloms to marshes, he'll have better luck on the outskirts of the village where there's nature.

• He asks a curious and starry-eyed group of kids near the town hall where he can locate the local chocobo-keeper, or perhaps the farmer. Once the kids finally finish asking him for his autograph and waxing poetic about how awesome he is, they point him in the right direction.

• He decides to try his luck and ask the kids if they've seen the Triserpoco, since children are naturally adventurous and would be the first to find some mythical creature when playing in nature.

Child #1: I never saw that in my life, Mister Sephiroth!

Child #2: Me neither! It looks fake. Are you sure that's not a photoshopped picture?

Sephiroth: No, children. This is a Triserpoco. It is a very real and very dangerous creature that I must catch before it harms the townspeople.

Child #3: Hmm I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist.

Sephiroth: It does too.

Child #3: Does not.

Sephiroth: Does too.

Child #3: Does not.

Child #4: I know where it is! I saw it that creature by down the river!

Sephiroth: Ah, thank you.

*He turns to child #3, lowers himself to his eye level, and leans in to whisper in his ear*

Sephiroth: It does too.

• He finds the local chocobo-keeper at his farm—after traversing a field full of clingy chocobos who want to cuddle him.

Sephiroth: I'm looking for this creature. Have you seen it?

Farmer: Son that's photoshopped.

Sephiroth: I appreciate the concern, but this is Shinra's official image of the Triserpoco, a hybrid who escaped captivity and was last sighted in this village.

Farmer:

Sephiroth:

Farmer: Do you want us to contact Shinra and tell them that you're here?

Sephiroth: I assure you I'm of sane mind. I'm just trying to locate this creature and get it back to Midgar before it harms someone.

• The farmer tells Sephiroth he'll have better luck looking it in thing in the woods, since that's the best place something could hide.

• Sephiroth declined the farmer's wife's offer to join them for lunch, but accepts the borrowed chocobo for his journey.

• Sephiroth rides to the woods on the chocobo and begins his search for the Triserpoco. One hour in, he hears some ruffling in the trees and stops.

• Bandits. As if he didn't have enough to deal with.

• They try to ambush him unsuccessfully. Sephiroth manages to protect the chocobo and fight the group of men off, tying them to a nearby tree.

Bandit #1: Let us go! You defeated us already!

Sephiroth: Absolutely not. While I've got you, have you seen this creature?

*Sephiroth pulls out the Triserpoco picture and shows it to them*

Bandit #1:

Sephiroth: Well?

Bandit #2: Is this a joke?

Sephiroth: Do I look like a comedian to you?

Bandit #1: That's photoshop.

Sephiroth: It's a Triserpoco, a dangerous hybrid bred in captivity that went missing around this area.

Bandit #3: That's bad photoshop too.

Bandit #2: Dude are you high? Guys maybe he's lost or something.

Sephiroth: I am not inebriated nor am I insane.

Bandit #1: Are you sure Shinra sent you here to look for that?

Sephiroth: Yes. If you are able to provide information I might be inclined to let you go.

Bandit #2: My cousin photoshopped a picture of herself marrying Genesis Rhapsodos once and told everyone it was real.

Sephiroth:

Bandit #2: She's in jail now for setting her house on fire.

Sephiroth: What on earth does this story have to do with my question?

Bandit #2: She legally changed her name to Sephiroth when she was 18.

Sephiroth: I'm leaving.

• Sephiroth ventures further into the woods, stopping twice to pause, rest and consider retirement a total of 58 times. He keeps his eyes peeled for the creature, but even he's starting to doubt why Shinra would send him out here alone with no additional information about the sightings.

• He doesn't dwell too much on it though. Hojo's involvement and R&D's penchant for secrecy makes the mission sound normal.

• Sephiroth finally comes across a river and ascertains that it's the same river the enthusiastic three-year-old claimed to have seen the Triserpoco. He sees a old woman fishing by the river bank and decides to ask her for information.

*34 minutes later*

Sephiroth: Ma'am, for the last time. While I'm flattered, I have no interest in marrying your granddaughter. I'm sure she's lovely but—

Old Woman: You're gay.

Sephiroth: Excuse me?

Old Woman: That's perfectly fine! I have a nephew who's gay. Oh, I should've known. You look very gay, did you know that?

Sephiroth: I wish to speak to you about a creature that escaped Shinra's captivity a few weeks ago—

Old Woman: What about Genesis Rhapsodos? Do you think you could introduce him to my granddaughter?

Sephiroth: Ma'am if I look gay, he looks like he's been inhaling the rainbow since birth.

Old Woman:

*Sephiroth pulls out the picture*

Sephiroth: Have you seen the Triserpoco?

Old Woman: Oh, I know what that is. The kids these days call it photoshop.

Sephiroth, through clenched teeth: It's not an edited image. It's a real creature. Have you seen it or not?

Old Woman: You'll have better luck looking for that thing in the mountains.

Sephiroth: Why the mountains?

Old Woman: Have you checked the mountains?

Sephiroth: No.

Old Woman: There you go.

• Sephiroth thanks her and leaves for the mountains. On his way there, he stumbles across a path near the lake that leads to some wet lands. He figures he should try his luck there before going up the mountain.

• There he finds a group of teenagers hunting and decides to avoid them entirely and instead try his luck with the man collecting crabs in the marsh.

Sephiroth: Hello. I'm looking for this creature, the Triserpoco. Have you seen it, perhaps?

*Sephiroth holds up the image*

Man: That's photoshop.

Sephiroth: It's a Triserpoco.

Man: That doesn't exist.

Sephiroth: It's a hybrid bred in captivity. Only one of its kind exists.

Man: I think someone's playing a joke on you, boy. That looks like something straight out of a horror movie.

Sephiroth: So you have not seen the Triserpoco?

Man: No one in the world has seen the Tripsipico.

Sephiroth: Do you have any idea where I could find more information about the Triserpoco?

Man: You could try a psychiatrist.

Sephiroth:

Man: Have you spoken to that group of teenagers over there?

Sephiroth: No.

Man: Do you intend to?

Sephiroth: Please don't make me.

Man: .....?

Sephiroth: Fine. I'll talk to them. Thank you for your time and help.

• Sephiroth turns around and begrudgingly makes his way towards the group of noisy teens. Just as he had feared, one of them is wearing a Silver Elite T-shirt. After the initial fanfare, groveling and autographs, Sephiroth calms them down enough.

*He shows them the picture*

Teen #1: What is that, satan??

Sephiroth: IT'S A TRISERPOCO.

Teen #2: That looks like bad—

Sephiroth: I KNOW I KNOW BAD PHOTOSHOP.

Teen #3: Uh..Are you oka—

Sephiroth: I'M FINE.

Teen #4: Really? Because you look—

Sephiroth: GAY, YES, WE'VE ESTABLISHED THAT.

• For the first time in his life Sephiroth manages to scare away a group of people without needing to take his sword out. He sighs, turns around, and begins his trek up the mountain. He wonders wether those therapy vouchers Angeal gave him for his birthday are still valid.

• He decides that if the Triserpoco isn't anywhere on the mountain, he'll declare this as a mission failed and go home. It's a foreign concept to him. He hasn't failed a mission since he was a child.

• Back at the headquarters, Zack can't sit still and finish his overdue mission reports. He keeps giggling and thinking of the wild goose chase he sent Sephiroth on. This distracts Genesis, who's on the SOLDIER lounge trying to read.

Genesis: What's so funny?

Zack: I'm playing a prank on Sephiroth. I had the mission roster send him out to the western continent to look for a monster that doesn't exist.

Genesis: That's brilliant. Why didn't I think of that?

*Angeal walks in*

Angeal: Has anyone seen Sephiroth? Director Lazard's sent for him but no one can find him.

Zack: He's out on a mission looking for the Triserpoco.

Angeal: The what?

*Zack holds up an image of the photoshopped creature, unable to contain his laugh*

Genesis: That's what you sent Sephiroth on a wild goose chase for?? That photoshop is horrendous! He's never going to buy that!

Zack: He already did! He left on his mission nine hours ago. He should be back any moment now empty handed.

Angeal: He's going to murder you. He's going to shove your head in an oven and make you suffocate on the fumes from your hair gel.

Zack: No he's not! Sephiroth will think it's hilarious. He hasn't failed a mission since he was a runt. This is refreshing for him!

*And then the elevator doors open. Sephiroth steps out, looking exhausted as he pulls a Three-Legged-Chocobo-Zolom hybrid on a leash*

Sephiroth: Good evening, gentlemen.

Zack:

Sephiroth: I found the Triserpoco.

Zack:

Sephiroth: It's appalling what atrocities Hojo uses R&D's resources for.

Zack:

Sephiroth: Anyway, I must take it back up to the labs.

Zack: But this is impossible...The Triserpoco doesn't exist....It's photoshop....

*Sephiroth turns to Angeal and hands the leash to him*

Sephiroth: Hold this for me.

*Sephiroth unsheathes The Masamune*

Sephiroth: COME HERE.

Zack: WAIT WAIT I'M SORRY I'M SORRY OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW ANGEAL HELP.

*Zack runs away as Sephiroth chases him, hurling balls of firaga at his feet*

[hummingbird24220]

Chapter Forty-Two: A Softer Kind of Strength

It had started early in the morning—you trying to mind your business and kids deciding you were their new playground equipment.

Still on the island, you had found that the townspeople were friendly, but it was the children who locked onto you like a heat-seeking missile every time you stepped off the Sunny. Each time, they seemed to multiply. 

"You look strong! Can you carry a cow?!" "Will you play tag with us?" "Your hair is so cool—can I braid it?!"

And you, for whatever reason, didn’t say no.

Unbeknownst to you, the entire crew was watching from behind various bushes, barrels, and crates like they were spying on a secret government meeting.

Luffy crouched on a roof. Usopp had binoculars. Nami was squinting behind a fence. Sanji held his breath behind a fruit stand, apron still on. Zoro, in the least subtle spot of all, stood directly behind a tree that was definitely too skinny to hide him. Robin, elegantly sipping tea behind a wall, didn’t even bother pretending she wasn’t eavesdropping.

And all of them were watching you—laughing, hair half-tied into crooked braids and floral knots by a giggling little girl as two other kids ran circles around you in some chaotic version of freeze tag.

"Is… is she giggling at something other than being hit?" Nami whispered.

"I’ve never seen her look like that," Sanji breathed, practically trembling.

Zoro squinted. “She’s… actually soft?”

"Like a cool big sister," Chopper whispered, starry-eyed. "I didn’t know she could sit still for this long."

Luffy grinned. “I like this version! She looks happy.”

You didn’t notice the stalkers. You were too busy sitting on a blanket beneath a tree, letting the little girl tug flower clips into your hair with fierce determination.

"Doesn’t that hurt?" one kid asked, wincing, as you gently combed your fingers through another’s wild curls.

You shrugged. "I’ve been punched by giants. This is nothing."

"Are they on your pirate crew?!"

You grinned, heart swelling just a bit. "Nah, the crew is better. Want to hear about them?"

The kids gasped. "YES!"

You held your hands out dramatically. "Let me tell you the legends of my crew—"

"First, our captain—Monkey D. Luffy." You puffed your cheeks and put your hands on your hips (the best you could, swarmed by child shaped monkeys) "He can stretch like rubber, eat more food than an entire village, and once punched a sea monster so hard it ran away crying. He’s kind of an idiot, but he’s also the bravest person I’ve ever met."

"Then there's Roronoa Zoro." You struck a sword pose, using a stick as a prop. "He’s always grumpy, always training, always getting lost—but he’d fight the world for the people he cares about. He acts like he’s all tough, but he’s one of the most loyal people you’ll ever meet."

"Next up—Sanji." You fluttered your eyelashes dramatically. "He’s our cook. He’s charming, dramatic, and makes food so good it’ll bring tears to your eyes. Also he once kicked through a wall to save me. He flirts a lot, but he’s got the softest heart."

"Nami. Our navigator." You leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "One of the smartest women alive. Could rob you blind while looking you dead in the eye. She’s brilliant, fierce, and way too pretty for her own good."

"Usopp. The sharpshooter." You held up your hand like a slingshot. "He’s funny, creative, and one of the bravest cowards you’ll ever meet. He always stands up in the end. Always."

"Chopper. Our doctor." You ruffled the nearest kid’s hair. "He’s adorable and super smart and turns into a giant monster when he wants to. Best hugs in the world, hands down."

"Robin. Our archaeologist." You lowered your voice dramatically. "She’s elegant, quiet, and could end a man in five seconds. But she’s also kind and curious and reads stories to me when I can’t sleep."

"And last but not least—Franky. The shipwright." You flexed both arms. "Half-man, half-machine, all chaos. He yells 'SUPER' every few minutes and built our ship from scratch. He’s a big softie. Literally and emotionally."

You leaned back, resting your chin in your hand as the little girl twisted the final flower clip into your hair.

“…They’re a pain sometimes. But they’re my family.”

The crew could not handle it.

Sanji had dropped to one knee, wiping his face. “She called me soft—in a good way!”

Zoro was very purposefully not reacting, but his ears were red. Nami was already planning to get the rundown embroidered. Luffy was bouncing with excitement. Robin… was smiling wider than usual.

Usopp whispered, “We have to do something. Like… something nice back.”

“Like what?” Chopper whispered.

Luffy blinked. “A surprise hug attack.”

“…That might actually work.”

As you sat there in the grass, laughing with the kids and covered in flower barrettes, you had no idea that half your crew had just fallen in love with you all over again.

You just smiled and said, “Alright, who wants to hear about the time I punched a Sea King in the nose?”

And every single little hand shot up.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting golden light over the grassy clearing where you lounged with the village kids. Your hair was now officially more floral centerpiece than hair, and your cheeks ached from smiling so much.

The kids were still gathered around you, a few sprawled out on the blanket, some perched in your lap, one determined to balance a daisy on your nose.

You were entirely at peace. (Which, of course, meant your crew was still hiding behind various objects, quietly losing their minds with every soft word that fell from your mouth.)

One of the smallest girls leaned into your side, clutching your sleeve. “Do you have a best friend?”

The question was so soft, so simple. And yet it made you pause, blinking up at the golden sky.

You smiled gently.

“Hmmm… I think I do. Actually, I think I have two super best friends.”

"Super best friends?!" the kids echoed, eyes wide.

You nodded sagely. “Sanji and Zoro.”

Behind the crates, a bottle clattered to the ground. (Usopp smacked Luffy’s arm, hissing, “Stop freaking out, they’ll hear you!”)

“Wait!” a little boy chirped. “What about the others? Don’t you like them too?”

You laughed, ruffling his hair. “Of course I do! The whole crew are my best friends. But those two…”

You glanced to the side, cheeks just faintly warm. “They’re different. We’ve been through a lot. They’ve seen sides of me no one else has, and they didn’t run.”

The kids were hooked. “Tell us about them!” “What makes them super best friends?” “Are you gonna marry them both?”

“NO.” You cleared your throat quickly. “That’s… that’s not how this works.”

One little boy leaned in like he was about to hear ancient treasure lore. “Please tell us about themmmmmm.”

You gave a long-suffering sigh. “Fine, but you didn’t hear this from me.”

“Sanji,” you began, voice soft, “is... a dork.”

The kids gasped. You grinned. “But he’s also one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. He flirts too much, sure, and he’s dramatic as hell, but when I was sick, he didn’t leave my side. He brought me soup, fluffed my pillow, scolded me gently but never left.”

Behind the fruit stand, Sanji covered his mouth and turned completely red, muttering, “Oh my god, she remembers that?”

“He always calls me things like ‘mon amour’ and ‘goddess,’ and yeah, I tease him about it, but... I don’t mind it as much as I pretend to.”

(Behind the crates: Zoro muttered, “Pathetic.” Usopp and Chopper silently pointed at Zoro’s ears—very pink.)

You smiled. “He’s sunshine wrapped in frustration. He makes me laugh. He makes me feel cared for. He’s just… always there.”

The kids melted.

Then you held up a finger. “And then there’s Zoro.”

You rested your chin in your hand, gazing out over the hills.

“He’s… complicated. Quiet. Rough around the edges. But when things are really bad? He’s the one who keeps me grounded.”

The kids were silent, clinging to your every word.

“He doesn’t always say nice things. Sometimes he makes me wanna fight him. But he always listens when it matters. He notices when I’m hurting before I do.”

You smiled, warm and sincere. “He throws me in the ocean when I’m annoying, but also, he’s the first to pull me out when I’m drowning.”

Behind the tree, Zoro stared at the ground, jaw tight.

You shrugged. “Together, they balance me out. Sanji lifts me up. Zoro holds me steady. It’s not perfect, but it works. They’re my stupid, stubborn, dramatic, loyal super best friends.”

From behind the wall, Robin murmured, “How poetic.”

Nami smiled faintly. “She really does love them.”

Sanji had to sit down before he fainted. “She called me sunshine…”

Zoro hadn’t moved. He just kept staring into the grass like it personally offended him.

Usopp whispered, “We’re never letting her live this down.”

Luffy just beamed. “She’s got good taste.”

You leaned back into the grass as the little girl tucked the last flower into your hair.

"Do you think they’d be our friends too?" one kid asked quietly.

You closed your eyes, smiling. "Absolutely. Just… be careful. They’re both way too soft for kids like you."

"Are you saying you’re not soft?"

You peeked one eye open. “Hey, I’m still terrifying. I just have a weakness for flower crowns and tiny hands.”

And behind you, your crew was falling apart quietly, completely smitten all over again.

[fear-is-truth]

tysm @merrydoe for the tag !! this is so cute

love pawsona

no pressure — @loveofcherry @starry-eyed-wild-child @taintandviolent @gingerteafairy @snowluvvie @zmbiesvape @zoebensonsgf @abodyhasbeenfound @american-horror-whore @stars-for-circe @strawb3rrystar @lennonslvt @lisboncy

[greenxgloss]

Meet Cute -1-

Taglist: @nevvdrinksteaa @romanroyapoligist @444rockstargf @wildathevrt @urmomsucksfrogs @hxllhxund @xxbl00d-cl0txx @lucidfever @gh0stgirl000 @starry-eyed-wild-child

“Oh? is that sexism? Who said I can’t protect myself?”

Contents: smoking, mentions of injury and blood

You stood at the ramp in your favorite skate park contemplating your next move. it was dark already. you enjoyed the breeze and how little people occupied the space at night so that’s when you frequented the park. you were ready to dive into the half pipe but once you did and rode out you didn’t catch your board fast enough and fell ass-first onto the pavement.

Quickly, you stood up. You winced in pain, reminding yourself of the skate park rules, even though there were only a handful of people around. “hey you good?” A man asked. “oh um yeah, happens all the time.” You giggled, looking up at him, your body tensing as you realized his appearance. This brown-haired man was decked out with the typical skater stoner outfit but he had a damn good face.

“you sure?” he asked once more. “yeah.” you spoke, almost in awe. “you’re pretty.” your thoughts slipping through your lips. “oh um thank you.” he giggled, rubbing the back of his neck, your confession bringing a blush to his face. “oh my god I'm sorry I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” you apologized profusely in embarrassment, pulling a bigger laugh from his diaphragm. “I’m Clyde by the way,” he said, extending his hand out for you to shake. “I’m y/n.” you began laughing at yourself now, beating yourself up in your head. you grabbed his hand to shake, pins and needles in your fingertips as they connected.

“oh shit you’re bleeding.” his smile quickly turned into a frown as he looked down at your leg. “it’s okay! I’ll be okay!” you reassured him as you dropped his hand. he picked up your board. “I’ve never seen that much blood on someone that’s fine.” he laughed. “come on I’ll clean it up for you.” he smiled. you rolled your eyes playfully and followed him to his van. you thought as quick as you could, flipping through the possible scenarios. “I guess if I get kidnapped I get kidnapped.” you shrugged, acknowledging the oddness of the situation. “I have a first aid kit in my van.” he sighed as he unlocked the driver-side door. he still had that seriousness laced in his voice that caused you to worry you were inconveniencing him.

"This is really no problem, you dont have to." you assured, one last time but he wouldn't budge. "no I want to." he smiled, glancing back at you for a moment.

Clyde helped you sit on the curb and began cleaning your wound in silence. “thank you.” you smiled as he looked up at you, his mouth awed as he focused. “it’s nothing. people fall all the time at the park I’ve just never seen anyone wipe out like that.” he laughed as he pressed the cold wipe to your skin. “fuck.” you slurred, clenching your hands around the concrete curb. “sorry!” he winced with you, watching your wound bubble up with peroxide. “what are you doing at the park by yourself at night anyway?” he questioned, filling the silence. “uhhh i like how empty it is. i used to come with my friends but they’re all gone at college. plus i actually enjoy my solitude.” you smiled as he peeled the bandaids from the wax paper and applied them to your leg. he nodded at you.

“I get that. but I also know there’s a group of junkies that hang out around that corner that deal here… definitely not safe, honestly for anyone much less a girl to be here at night.” he whispered as he closed the first aid kit and put it back in his car before helping you up. “oh? is that sexism? who said I can’t protect myself.” you joked, picking up your bag and slinging it over your shoulder. “you can fight off 6 guys at once?? shit, remind me to never mess with you. Got Hercules strength on this one.” he laughed as you blushed. “well I have bear mace.” you defended yourself, watching him lean up the side of his van. he chuckled harder, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Well, I think I’m done skating for the night. wanna get out of here Clyde?” you asked, in desperate need of a smoke. he nodded and proceeded to help you into the passenger side. “where to then?” he asked as he drove out of the parking lot of the skate park. “hmm anywhere that I can sit and smoke.” you told him, flipping through ideas in your head as you pull the pack out of your backpack pocket. “alright.” he smiled and took a few turns. “so what did you mean earlier?” he asked, breaking the silence that consumed the front seat. “what?” you questioned. knowing exactly what he meant but you were stalling. “you’re pretty?” he giggled. “it um just slipped out.” you began blushing, averting your gaze out the window as the car came to a stop at a red light.

you glanced back at him a few times, noticing a smug look on his face. he parked the car and you looked up to see a movie theatre, your confusion setting in. “I know a guy.” Clyde laughed as he climbed out of the car. the two of you walked into the empty building and straight to concessions. “grab whatever you want.” he said, digging through candy boxes. “are... we allowed to do this? we won’t get in trouble will we?” you asked as you took in the current situation of you breaking into a closed movie theatre. “my friend works here and he gave me a key a while ago. it’s all good.” Clyde replied as he put the candy into my bag. “just grab something.” he giggled. you exhaled and began filling a bucket of popcorn while he now filled drinks.

Clyde led you up to the roof and you sat at the edge of the building and began eating your popcorn. “well this is probably the craziest thing I've ever done.” you laughed, taking a sip of your Sprite. “what breaking into a movie theatre?” he asked. “well that and the fact that you’re a complete stranger.. what if you killed the guy those keys belong to and you throw me off the building and frame me.” you thought up on the spot before grabbing some of his Mike n Ike’s. “uh that was oddly elaborate.” Clyde giggled, nervously. “sorry over active imagination.” you began laughing really hard at his reaction. “yeah no it’s okay.” he laughed. you finally lit your cigarette and puffed as you ate your snacks. “so when are we gonna exchange numbers?” he asked, nudging your leg with his.

you smiled and handed him your phone, open to the dial. “so if you’re at the skate park all the time why haven’t I seen you there before?” you asked him as you watched him dial. “well I work as kind of a band manager? I drive my friends around to their gigs and also find them venues so I’m there when I can be. I'm not on a set schedule.” he answered, handing your phone back. you nodded in response. “band manager. that’s pretty sick.” you told him, offering him the cigarette. he took a few puffs before handing it back. “it’s really fun if that’s what you mean. I don’t make enough money off it though.” Clyde said and you nodded. the silence once again taking up the empty space.

you both sat there, watching cars drive by and stars appear in the sky, talking. maybe oversharing just a little but still getting to know each other, solidifying first impressions until finally 2 am rolled around and you were struggling to keep your eyes open. “I should take you home,” he said, helping you up. “I don’t want to go home. please don’t.” you pleaded with your last bit of energy. Clyde didn't ask another question. he sighed, sympathetically and led you out of the theatre and into the van as he drove you to his apartment instead.

“you can stay with me tonight if you’d like.” he whispered, throwing a sweater and sweatpants at you as you snuggled into his cool bedsheets. “yeah I’m not getting up from this bed.” you giggled, fighting out of your clothes and into his all while under his covers. he grabbed a blanket and began treading out of his room.

"you're not going to sleep in the living room are you?" you asked him, propping yourself up on your elbows, studying him. "of course, I am what do you mean?" he giggled, beginning his march out the door. "stay?" you whispered, crossing your legs under the blanket. Clyde nodded, sitting on the floor in front of his bed. "Clyde." you quietly scolded, waiting for him to stand up. on queue, he rolled his eyes playfully and crawled up into the bed. "it's just out of respect." he whispered as he settled.

"Okay. you're way too trusting of a strange skater. What's that about?" he asked, curling up into his pillows. "I don't know honestly." You lied through your teeth. you knew exactly why you let yourself get so comfortable in his presence and why you knew you could trust Clyde. But even so, that wasn't why you let him clean your scrapped leg or got into his car and followed him into a theatre after hours. Clyde raised an eyebrow and you quickly took a deep breath. "fine..." you sighed, which earned a smile from him. "I knew it," he spoke as you sat up, getting ready to attempt the elaboration of your thoughts.

"i watched this movie a while ago. it was about this girl who just wanted to be this big inspiration. She wanted to be something, you know? her friends were activists, writers and even the few friends who seemed like they had nothing, had everything. they had love, their dreams no matter how small, they had them." you looked over at Clyde and he was staring intently at you, ready to listen to every word you had to say, like it was the most important thing he'd ever hear and somehow that look alone birthed butterflies in your stomach.

"so anyway, she was broke and her parents couldn't support her dying dream of being a writer. she had no choice but to get a job and she walked into this sex shop." you began laughing as Clyde's face flushed. "yeah this awkward uni student, naive and self-proclaimed classy applying to work at a sex shop. she gets the job, kickstarts a slow burn with her coworker, moves out of her parent's house, meets her favourite author and gets published. pretty fucking cool honestly. there's this scene where she's with her coworker in his bed and he's looking at her like he's just discovered a new world wonder. he's an artist and had painted her portrait like a hundred times. anyway.. she grew. she let herself branch out, be different and do things that were, in her world totally taboo. does that make sense?" you paused, realizing you were rambling, assuming he was annoyed but when you glanced back up at him he sat there with the same intent look. it brought you peace.

"she went from this awkward nobody to a girl who took chances and went to parties and ended up getting what she wanted while still making room for mistakes. and I guess I want to do that too." you explained, nearly out of breath from explaining your recent change in desire for risk-taking. "not that I'm awkward." you giggled. "well..." Clyde rebudled and you lightly smacked his arm.

"it sounds more like you want love." Clyde teased. "no, ugh, Clyde." you scoffed. "first of all you're just saying that because I'm in your bed. second... I want to lean into my already existing spontaneity and take chances even when I'm a little uncomfortable." you laughed, reiterating your thoughts, causing him to raise an eyebrow. "I mean maybe I want love but that's not the point," you added, looking at him. Clyde smirked. "stop acting like you know me already bitch." you joked, both of you erupting in laughter. "I guess the short explanation is that I want to chase discomfort to find comfort." you summarized. "then I guess I'm happy to be part of that.. if you let me. and hey you're welcome in my bed any time." he giggled and you rolled your eyes though you wouldn't mind it either.

Meet Cute Masterlist

[roryrealm]

Davidddddd 🤭🐴🤠

Tag: @starry-eyed-wild-child

[blueberrypancakesworld]

Stolen love

Benson x girlfriend!reader

warning : fluff, kissing, mention of stealing and murder, no use of Y/n

Summary : Hours of driving around in his car, talking about favourite movies, playing games like I see what you don't see, wishing for food, spending the night in a motel...and a gift for their special anniversary together from Benson that he personally picked out.

info : So my first time writing for Benson, thank you @starry-eyed-wild-child for this post that inspired the whole one-shot (it's so cute) check out the blog. Have fun reading as always my dears ;)

masterlist

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A road trip that was what they had been doing for several days, a road trip from city to city, from one state to another, sometimes more conspicuous and sometimes less.

Just a young couple on their way to see the beauty of their own homeland, at least that's how Benson had always put it when they were asked by the police or other statesmen.

With a convincing display of brochures and maps, their photo album and his more-bad-than-right ‘facts’ about some national park, they had got no problems.

It was the truth that they had been travelling by car for days and almost a week, even if it was more to go underground, but that didn't mean they missed out on the beauty of the places.

,,Anything that makes you happy, princess," she heard in the barely amused voice, but she could see that Benson was happy that she was at least having fun, as much fun as you could have in a national park with flowers.

It had been a good idea to stay here for a few hours after they had robbed a small petrol station on the highway and disappeared so quickly that the police had probably only just made an announcement.

Since then they had been here, she was happy about the camera she had taken, Benson was relieved that the shop had his favourite cigarettes and the tranquillity of nature made itself known when sirens could be heard.

Holding the camera in front of her face, she turned a little and smirked, Benson leaning against the car, eyes closed, hair slightly tousled, something she liked to do when he took off his cap.

On his wrist was a bracelet which she had also stolen, at first he thought it was shit, didn't understand why but he kept it and it was a gesture she had touched.

He savoured his cigarette in silence and calmed his tense nerves He can be so calm she thought to herself as their love rarely seemed so relaxed.

Usually their sweet journeys were filled with swearing, his worldviews, cigarette smoke, sirens and the kiss he always gave her when they left a shop.

It was his way of saying thank you, his way of saying thank you that she shared his views, sometimes it just took a little violence to get things rolling.

After the supermarket incident that almost went wrong, she had blood on her hands just like Benson, but the ‘cause’ was needed to get closer.

Because now she was on a journey with him and underneath all the blood, all the swearing and frustration with people was someone with feelings...Benson was capable of love, she knew that.

Whether it was the look he gave her when she looked at the map to see where they were, a look of amusement and trust when he covered her with his yellow jacket when the night got colder than she expected, or the kiss of success every time they needed new things.

Benson might be as morally bad as she was, he might be stained with blood but he was someone who loved and could love and he loved her with every fibre of his body.

,,Do you want to keep looking or take a photo?" he asked, dropping the cigarette to the ground with an unimpressed look, yet he lingered for a brief moment which she used to take her photo, ,,Thank you my muse,” she said, seeing him shake his head at the nickname.

But it was true, since they were together he was her muse, in every photo she took he was the centre of attention.

As she looked through the gallery, she heard him open the boot and seemingly pull something out, she barely noticed Benson's footsteps but only looked up when he cleared his throat.

To her astonishment, he held out a plastic bag to her, ,,I promised, I didn't our damn anniversary," he said and she could feel the embarrassment, he was not a man of emotion.

It didn't matter, making a cheerful noise she hugged him and felt him hug her back, ,,Thank you Benson thank you!" she cheered and even noticed his grin as she gave him kiss after kiss.

He really hadn't forgotten, it was the anniversary of their first ‘murder’ together, it was a bit macabre but when she pulled out the stuffed animal giraffe it didn't matter.

Her shriek made him grin even wider when she recognised the stuffed animal, which hadn't had a place in her bag, ,,I didn't miss your look, I knew you wanted it the moment I shoot that girl," he commented, flicking the animal's soft horn as she hugged it to her.

With the bag still in her hand, she saw him open a small box, ,,And that's because you have my fucking heart" he opened as he held out the heart pendant necklace to her, seemingly finding his words funny as he smirked.

It was the same chain that she had also looked at but couldn't take out of the glass box without immediately raising the alarm.

Of course Benson had seen it too, he had sent her back to the car before he ran back to the car with a slightly bloody hand and they took off, but it was all worth it.

His bright eyes watched her joy and emotion as she blinked away a few tears, touching her heart with her fingers, she saw the ingrained squiggles of ,,I love you so fucking much" as she gave him the necklace and spun around so he could put it on her.

Putting her hair slightly to one side, the next moment the necklace was around her neck, ,,Beautiful, fucking beautiful my love" he replied and putting his hand on her cheek engaged her in an intense kiss, he didn't seem to let her go and she didn't want to let go of him either.

She wanted to stay with him forever, forever together, forever with Benson and he would always be with her, be there for her and shoot down anything that came between them.

They both may have done bad things, they both may have killed, they both may be bad people but nothing would come between the love they had for each other.

Fucking nobody.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@thatsthewrongwallcraig

[strang3lov3]

completely random but not me finding out we share the same name, like, huh?! 😨

Look at us beautiful virginal flowers, yes we do!! But spelled differently, it seems. Is that your full name or a nickname?

[benjen-mormont]

˚❅⋆ A FOOLPROOF PLAN (THAT IMMEDIATELY FALLS APART) ⋆❅‧

(Starter with @thedaringprince)

A week had passed since Benjen left Riverrun. A week since Edrick chose to remain with the Tullys. A week since fate first slipped its thread between Benjen’s teeth. Daeron had been here just as long—starry-eyed, all smiles, tripping through the North with the wonder of a child set loose in a world too vast to hold. Benjen had seen it before, Southerners enchanted by the raw, untamed beauty of his home. But none quite like him.

His mistake had been thinking Daeron soft. At first glance, he was all golden curls and courtly manners, a storybook prince with doll’s eyes the color of a summer sky. But there was steel beneath the silk. Benjen had seen it in the way he carried himself, in the sharp glint of intelligence flickering behind his awe. That only made the game more interesting.

But fun was only part of it. Benjen had worked too hard to let him go now. Not when this plan had been months in the making. Not when Daeron’s absence from Storm’s End gave Kermit time to woo, to charm, to shift the tides in his favor. Maris Baratheon was no easy conquest, but Kermit had something no other suitor could match: the chance to be her choice, rather than her duty.

However, for that to work, Benjen had to keep Daeron here.

He understood why the ladies fawned over him. Daeron was too pretty. Too cherub in his smiles, too golden, too regal in a way that made fools out of half the realm. Too bad. Benjen would have to trap him under his boot for a little while.

Daeron had come north for his sister Rhaenya’s pregnancy, a call that had weighed on him as much as it had drawn him away from the South. But he had lingered, enchanted by the North’s wild majesty, its cold air and starlit skies. And Benjen had made sure he lingered longer. What harm was there in that?

The prince had already tried to leave once. He didn’t know what Benjen had done, what it had cost him, how his skull pounded like cracking ice every morning, how his own blood ran hot and thin from his nose. It didn’t matter. The dragon was now too tired to fly, and Benjen was too stubborn to let his plans go to waste.

Too stubborn to let Daeron go away.

Specially now that the prince was scheming. Benjen had caught the whispers three days past, slipping into a raven to watch from above. Daeron thought to leave by horse. It would be slow, but it would be certain.

That couldn’t happen.

So Benjen found him in the morning, where frost clung to the earth and the cold bit deep. He stood with easy confidence, arms crossed over his chest, watching Daeron like a restless hound sniffing at the edge of its leash.

“The road south isn’t kind this time of year.” A flicker in Daeron’s eyes made Benjen stifle a chuckle. “Bandits. Weather. The occasional shadowcat. Even a prince might find himself in trouble.”

Benjen let the words settle, then smiled, all teeth and golden fangs, ready to sink into whatever soft bit he could find.

“You’re better suited here, don’t you think? The North agrees with you.” A compliment, an observation. A bait, laid carefully. He stepped closer, voice dipping as if confiding a secret. Daeron had called him a friend a couple of days ago. A friend! Poor boy… “Besides, Rhaenya would be lost without you. She values your company.” A pause, letting the weight of it settle. “So do I.”

He saw the tension in Daeron’s posture, the way his fingers twitched, itching to grip reins and flee. No, not yet. Not until Benjen had done what he set out to do.

“You’ve barely seen all there is to see. Stay a while longer. Visit the Bear Islands. The northern lights will be out soon. Unless, of course, you have somewhere more pressing to be…?”

Benjen did not move. Did not blink. Only watched, waiting for the princeling to step into the snare laid so carefully before him.

If he wouldn’t… well.

Benjen had other ways to get what he wanted.